1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a combined terminal fitting assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,795 and FIGS. 14 and 15 herein show a combined terminal fitting assembly. With reference to FIGS. 14 and 15, the combined terminal fitting assembly has a pair of terminal fittings 100, 101. Each terminal fitting 100, 101 includes a wire connecting portion 102 to be crimped into connection with an end of a wire W and a shaft fixing portion 104 formed with an insertion hole 103 through which an unillustrated bolt is insertable. Engaging portions 105, 106 are formed on each shaft fixing portion 104 at opposite sides of the insertion hole 103. The engaging portions 105, 106 of one shaft fixing portion are engageable with those 106, 105 of the other shaft fixing portion 104. The terminal fittings 100, 101 are assembled by inserting the engaging portions 105 into the insertion holes 103 of the mating terminal fitting 100, 101 and then sliding the shaft fixing portions 104 relative to one another to align the insertion holes 103. Then, the engaging portions 105, 106 are engaged to assemble the terminal fittings 100, 101 with the insertion holes 103 aligned along thickness direction as shown in FIG. 15.
The two assembled terminal fittings 100, 101 can be mounted at one place by one bolt.
However, the combined terminal fittings 100, 101 can fix the ends of at most two wires W at one place. Thus, at least two or more fixing places must be provided to fix the ends of three or more wires W.
The invention was developed in view of the above problem and to enable ends of a plurality of wires to be fixed at one fixing place.
The invention relates to a combined terminal fitting assembly with first and second terminal fittings. The first terminal fitting has a first main body and a first wire connecting portion that enables a wire to extend from a position near a first side of the first main body. The second terminal fitting has a second main body and a second wire connecting portion that enables a second wire to extend from a position near a second side of the second main body. The terminal fittings can be assembled so that the main bodies are substantially one over the other and so that the wires are substantially parallel at the lateral sides. The terminal fittings have engaging means at both surfaces of the terminal main bodies. The first terminal fitting can be slid transversely with respect to the second terminal fitting so that the engaging means engage to hold the terminal fittings assembled.
The first terminal fitting preferably is a right terminal fitting and the first wire connecting portion enables a wire to extend back from a right-side position of the first main body. The second terminal fitting preferably is a left terminal fitting and the second wire connecting portion enables the second wire to extend back from a left-side position of the second main body. The right and left terminal fittings preferably are assembled so that the main bodies are placed one over the other and so that the wires are parallel at the right and left sides. The engaging means are provided at both the upper and lower surfaces of the main bodies and engage each other by sliding the right terminal fitting leftward with respect to the left terminal fitting for holding the terminal fittings assembled. Thus, three or more, wires can be fixed to one fixing place. Further, the wire connecting portions are parallel and arranged alternately at the left and right sides of the respective terminal fittings. Therefore, a space corresponding to the thickness of the left terminal fitting can be secured between the wires connected with the right terminal fittings, and interference of the right wire connecting portions and the right wires can be avoided.
The right terminal fitting has the wire connecting portion at the right-side and is slid leftward with respect to the left terminal fitting during assembly. Thus, the left and right wire connecting portions are at most distant positions at the start of a sliding movement. As the sliding movement progresses, the two wire connecting portions move closer to each other. However, the left and right wire connecting portions neither overlap nor interfere during assembly.
Each engaging means preferably has a slit extending along the transverse direction from an edge of the engaging means. One engaging means preferably fits into the slit of the mating engaging means during assembly to ensure a sufficient area of engagement between the engaging means. More particularly, each engaging means of the right terminal fitting preferably has a slit extending rightward from the left edge of the engaging means, and each engaging means of the left terminal fitting preferably has a slit extending leftward from the right edge of the engaging means. One engaging means fits into the slit of the mating engaging means during assembly to ensure a sufficient area of engagement between the engaging means.
The extending directions of the slits of the engaging means of the right and left terminal fittings are transversely opposite, and the left and right terminal fittings achieve a sufficient area of engagement. However, the slits of the same kinds of terminal fittings extend in the same direction. Thus, there is insufficient area of engagement for the engaging means, and the engaging means cannot engage. Accordingly, the terminal fittings cannot be assembled in a way that would cause the wires of adjacent terminal fittings to interfere.
The engaging means of each of the second and first terminal fittings projects from the upper and lower surface of the main body.
At least one single-face terminal fitting preferably is provided and has a wire that extends from a position displaced along the transverse direction of a substantially flat main body. The main body has an engaging means projecting from only one of the upper and lower surfaces of the main body.
The engaging means of the left and right terminal fittings project from both upper and lower surfaces of the main body. However, the engaging means of the single-face terminal fitting projects from only one of the upper and lower surfaces of the main body. The single-face terminal fitting is assembled with a terminal fitting at an end of a group of terminal fittings, and the engaging means of the single face terminal fitting faces toward the group. Thus, a surface of the single-face terminal fitting opposite from the engaging means thereof is brought into contact with a fixing surface, and the engaging means does not interfere with the fixing surface. Accordingly, the group of the terminal fittings and the single-face terminal fitting can be fixed stably to the fixing surface.
Each main body preferably comprises a plurality of plates folded from one conductive plate, and the engaging means are formed on the plates at the upper and lower surfaces.
The invention also relates to a method of assembling a combined terminal fitting assembly. The method includes providing a first terminal fitting having a wire connecting portion for enabling a wire to extend at a first-side of a main body and providing a second terminal fitting having a wire connecting portion for enabling a wire to extend at a second-side position of a main body. The method continues by placing the main bodies over one another with the wires substantially parallel at the lateral sides. The method then includes sliding the first terminal fitting along a transverse direction with respect to the second terminal fitting so that engaging means at the opposed surfaces of the main bodies hold the second and first terminal fittings assembled.
The method may further comprise a step of forming each engaging means with a slit extending along the transverse direction from an edge of the engaging means. Thus, upon assembling the terminal fittings, one engaging means fits into the slit of the mating engaging means to ensure a sufficient area of engagement between the engaging means of both terminal fittings.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon reading the following description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that separately described features may be combined to additional embodiments.